Each season, I make my way to the Los Angeles garment district in search of new materials - or rather, old ones. The city's deadstock warehouses hold endless rolls of forgotten fabric, remnants of an industry that produces far more than it needs.
For those who aren’t familiar, deadstock refers to leftovers from past seasons, unsold yardage, or materials never used in production. There’s something thrilling and also overwhelming about stepping into a space stacked floor to ceiling with rolls and rolls of fabric, knowing each has its own history and future potential. I spent hours sorting, touching, and cutting swatches, imagining the possibilities for each piece. Working with what already exists allows me to breathe new life into these forgotten fabrics and transform them into something meaningful for the modern wardrobe.
Some of the swatches I selected to consider for future collections.
This trip, I managed to sneak away from the hustle of downtown LA to explore Descanso Gardens, just outside the city in La Cañada. Touring local gardens has become one of my favorite travel rituals - a way to reset my senses and reconnect with color, texture, and form. Descanso didn’t disappoint: the Japanese garden was serene and balanced, framed by old-growth oaks and century-old camellias and magnolias that still bloom each spring. The original home on the property has been transformed into a gallery of botanical art installations, weaving the garden’s story into every corner.
The serene Japanese style gardens at Descanso.
Descanso Gardens was founded in 1953 on the former estate of E. Manchester Boddy, a newspaper publisher who was inspired by English gardens and California’s native landscape. The property spans 150 acres and includes themed gardens ranging from a camellia collection to a serene Japanese garden, offering a mix of historical design and natural beauty. Touring Descanso feels like stepping into a living archive, where decades of horticultural care and design converge.
Some of the botanical themed art on display at the Descanso Gardens art gallery.
Another highlight of this trip was visiting the Getty Villa. The museum and its grounds blur the line between art, history, and landscape. The Villa’s gardens are inspired by Roman design and include a remarkable herb garden, where basil, oregano, thyme, mint, sage, and fruit trees like fig, pomegranate, and apple thrive. These plantings reference both function and history - herbs and plants used in cooking, medicine, and daily life in antiquity - while also offering layers of visual inspiration. Walking through the terraces, fountains, and carefully composed plantings, I found myself pausing at every turn, noting textures, colors, and shapes that might inform future designs.
A pomegranate tree in the Getty Villa gardens, a symbol of fertility and abundance in Roman mythology.
The Getty Villa, modeled after an ancient Roman country house, opened to the public in 1974 and houses an extensive collection of Greco-Roman antiquities. The gardens are arranged on multiple terraces, echoing Roman villa landscapes, and include fountains, sculptures, and carefully composed plantings. Walking through them offers a glimpse into how design, function, and daily life intertwined in antiquity - an inspiring contrast to the modern chaos of the city.
Roman antiquities at the Getty Villa.
Between the fabric rolls, the flowers, and the gardens, I came home with a head full of ideas for what’s next. Of course, I didn’t return empty-handed. Among the rolls I selected were two luxuriously soft wool sweater knits that I can't wait to make into new cozy pieces for winter, and a few unexpected textures and prints that immediately sparked ideas for new pieces for spring and summer. Each fabric carries a story and a potential, and I can’t wait to bring these textiles to life for future collections.
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